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Betty Hsiao, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology)
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Additional Titles

Associate Program Director, Rheumatology

About

Titles

Assistant Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology)

Associate Program Director, Rheumatology

Biography


Dr. Betty Hsiao joined the Yale Section of Rheumatology for fellowship in 2015, then became part of the faculty in 2018. She is interested in investigating how patients share their viewpoints and goals of care with their doctor in order to accomplish shared medical decision-making, along with her mentor Dr. Liana Fraenkel. They are interested in how patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) make decisions as to which medication(s) to try when one stops working or is not working adequately. She is also completing a Masters in Health Science and enjoys teaching medical students, residents, and fellows.


Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Rheumatology Fellowship
Yale University (2018)
Residency
Flushing Hospital Medical Center (2015)
MD
Ross University School of Medicine (2012)
BS
Columbia University (2004)

Research

Publications

2023

2022

Clinical Care

Overview

Betty Hsiao, MD, is a rheumatologist at Yale Medicine with a unique interest in treating cancer patients who develop rheumatologic side effects from immunotherapy—a type of cancer treatment that stimulates the body’s own immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells.

Dr. Hsiao completed her medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine. In 2015, she became a resident at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in New York. Afterwards, she completed her fellowship at Yale and stayed on as faculty.

Rheumatologic conditions are often tricky to diagnose. As a physician, Dr. Hsiao prioritizes taking an in-depth medical history to get as much information as possible. “We often go back even before the cancer diagnosis and see if there’s anything in the history that might point to an inflammatory arthritis or rheumatologic diagnosis,” she says. “Then, we fast forward to the present day and see what the patient has been through, how they came to their cancer diagnosis, and what treatment they’ve received and will receive.”

While medical history is the most important factor in making a diagnosis, Dr. Hsiao also places importance on the physical exam. “We look at the whole body, but we also look at every joint, looking for any inflammation that might be present,” she says.

During this process, Dr. Hsiao works closely with the patient’s cancer care team so that their treatments complement each other and work well together.

“I enjoy the long-term relationships that I’m able to build with patients and being able to work with a patient through the different phases of their disease,” says Dr. Hsiao. She also enjoys the challenge of finding the right treatment for her patients.

In the end, though, Dr. Hsiao’s patients are the most rewarding part of her job. “I really care about them and I look forward to seeing them every morning and hearing their story,” she says.

In addition to seeing patients, Dr. Hsiao conducts clinical research on shared decision-making between patients and doctors. She is also a clinical instructor at Yale School of Medicine.

Clinical Specialties

Rheumatology

Fact Sheets

Board Certifications

  • Rheumatology

    Certification Organization
    AB of Internal Medicine
    Original Certification Date
    2017
  • Internal Medicine

    Certification Organization
    AB of Internal Medicine
    Original Certification Date
    2015

Yale Medicine News

Get In Touch

Contacts

Appointment Number

Locations

  • Yale Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology

    Academic Office

    The Anlyan Center

    300 Cedar Street, Fl 5th, Rm S-525

    New Haven, CT 06519

  • Patient Care Locations

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